ESPN won't team up with Netflix for documentaries despite 'The Last Dance' success

Michael Jordan's 10-part documentary Last Dance has reportedly shattered all records as far as viewership ratings are concerned. highly-anticipated docu-series garnered rave ratings from critics and fans alike who flocked to ir TV screens over last five weeks to catch fresh new episodes. Last Dance on Netflix concluded last week after final two episodes were released on platform. Reports claim that popular series is ESPN's most-watched documentary of all time. A report by Nielsen revealed that more than 23.8 million people tuned in to watch series over last five weeks. 

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ESPN Last Dance on Netflix

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ESPN Last Dance on Netflix

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ESPN Last Dance aver viewers

last two episodes of 10-part Michael Jordan documentary released over last five weeks and averd 5.9 million viewers as per a report by Nielsen. Live viewership for each episode ranged between 4.9 and 6.3 million people. Libby Geist, VP and EP for ESPN Films and Original Content, speaking at Leers in Sport’s online forum cautioned about a possible link-up with Netflix in future. She claimed that despite success of Last Dance, ESPN may t team up with Netflix to release similar documentaries in future.

Libby Geist was quoted as saying, “I’m t sure that we’re looking to do that again soon, only because we both have our own businesses that we’re supporting. It would have to be ar pretty special project for us to get different special permissions to do it again. But from a workflow standpoint and maximising power of all of se brands, I think it’s been really great for Last Dance and we’re thrilled with results.” In next month, ESPN has scheduled films about disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong, martial arts star Bruce Lee and 1998 home run race between Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa to be released in next few weeks.

Libby Geist explains success of Last Dance on Netflix

Geist furr explained that previous documentary OJ: Me in America served as a reference in build-up to Jordan's documentary. Geist furr ded, “Our film a few years ago – OJ: Me in America – we scheduled over five parts on five nights. We scheduled that on off-nights of NBA Finals in 2016, and that was a great formula for us. We h huge audiences at that time. Those are big off-nights for sports. So we always expected that was a really big time, especially for this story. So we were aiming towards that. We just obviously didn’t expect to be turning it around so quickly and getting it into world that fast.”  

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